Knee replacement surgery experiences?

Hey everyone, first off, quick hello to the crew and I've got a few things on my mind

So, I'm 23, and about five years ago I was diagnosed with osteosarcoma... went through the whole wringer with treatment, but thankfully the cancer is gone now. As a "souvenir" from all that, I ended up with this metal plate (or whatever you call it) attached to my prosthetic hip bone

Then, about two years ago (yeah, TWO!), this prosthesis actually cracked right above where it meets the knee. And honestly? I haven't had surgery since. I've just been walking around with it. The reason was basically "let's wait and see" if my new bone would hold up or how everything would fuse... I don't even know anymore, there were so many explanations thrown at me...

Just to be clear, before that crack happened, I was moving totally normally. No one could even tell I was walking around with half a pound of hardware inside me, and everything felt fine...

But yeah, after two years of dealing with this, I'm finally sitting down with my doctor—who everyone says is top-tier—and I'm reaching my breaking point. I'm losing my patience. I just want to get fixed up because I'm not trying to end up on four legs if this can actually be repaired...

Throughout this whole journey, including that first surgery, the big goal for both me and the docs was to NOT touch my actual knee, since it was perfectly healthy. My surgeons were always blown away by how much I was jumping around during checkups and stuff; but now, after living with this crack for two years, one of the proposed solutions is a total knee replacement. Which, frankly, makes ZERO sense to me. Why spend five years protecting the knee only to suddenly decide we need an artificial one?

I know this is all super vague and I probably need more medical data, but there's one thing I really want to know... what are your experiences with knee replacements? Like, how long does rehab take before you can actually stand on your own? And how much bend can you actually get out of it? Not to mention, over these last two years, my left leg has gotten pretty weak compared to my right, so... yeah...

Maybe I didn't explain it perfectly, but if you have any questions, hit me up. Even better if you have some personal stories or advice to share

You’re honestly so young to be going through an operation like this

I remember my grandmother back in the day, she was already 71 when she finally got her knee replaced

As soon as they moved her into her hospital room, they had her on this special machine that just kept bending and straightening her leg, so she actually started rehab practically 24 hours after the surgery... she used a walker for about a month, then switched over to a cane, and within six months she was walking around totally normal

She went to physical therapy once a week for those first three months, and after that, she just kept up with her exercises at home

She could get her knee to straighten out about 175 degrees—though part of that was just because she was older and couldn't push herself quite as hard as someone younger might...

but she could bend it almost all the way

So, given how young you are, I really think this is going to be a breeze for you...

Just stay brave! 👍

John Collins5 said:I know there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding all this and we definitely need more data, but I’m wondering about one thing... what are your actual experiences with an artificial knee? For instance, how long does rehab take before you can stand on your own two feet again, and how much bend can you actually get out of it? Not to mention that over the last two years, my left leg has unfortunately become quite a bit weaker than my right...

It might be a little vague, but if you have any questions, feel free to throw them out there—though some real-life experiences or advice would be even better!

First off, huge congratulations on beating that nasty illness. That is seriously no small feat.

Regarding how long rehab lasts after a knee replacement, it really varies from person to person. If everything goes smoothly and there aren't any complications, you can usually ditch the walker in about four months. A lot of it comes down to your muscle strength, too. You actually want to prep those muscles with exercises even before the surgery happens.

If there is any way to repair your knee without going for a full replacement, I’d highly recommend doing that first. You're still pretty young and likely lead an active lifestyle, and these replacements aren't forever. They typically last about 15 to 20 years before they need to be swapped out (depending on how hard you push it). Living with a prosthetic means adjusting your lifestyle just a little bit...

Depending on the specific type of implant used, you can expect a range of motion from full extension (straightening it out) to about 90-100° of flexion (so, you should be able to bend it to a right angle or maybe even slightly past that).

I'm not sure which orthopedic surgeon you're seeing right now, but from what I've gathered (I actually did a little digging today), Dr. Haspl at the Mayo Clinic is top-tier, and the next best facility would be somewhere like Johns Hopkins. Definitely make sure to get at least two different opinions before you commit to the surgery.

I hope that helps a little bit...

I love it when the ladies jump in to help me out 👋
I mean, honestly, I don’t care if they strip me down to just a few extra screws and bits of metal (just kidding, my detectors would go nuts! ^^) but look, my buddy who's been through this exact same crap with me—she spent years trying everything to save her knee, and now suddenly there's this crazy talk about just getting a total replacement... it’s not exactly my idea of a grand plan

I did a little digging online last night and found a decent amount of info on it, though most of it was just stuff I already knew or expected to find

But whatever, we’ll see how things play out in about ten days and then it's game on 🙂

Thanks anyway, girls 🙏

To be honest, I’m not entirely sold on the whole artificial knee idea given your age. I suppose I’d try every other avenue before committing to something like that;
I actually had ACL surgery back when I was in a clinic in Savannah, and there was an older gentleman in my recovery room who had just received a total knee replacement. From what I gathered through our follow-up chats, he seemed to be bouncing back quite well, though I realize that's highly subjective. Given your stage in life and everything you’ve already navigated, I imagine rehab wouldn't be an insurmountable mountain for you, but as someone else mentioned, those prosthetic joints aren't exactly permanent—they are still artificial, after all;
Who are you seeing over at Mayo Clinic? If I may offer a suggestion, maybe try to get an appointment with Dr. Bojanic to get his take on the matter. BEST OF LUCK!!!

Does anyone have any insight on knee replacement surgery? I’d love to know how intense the recovery actually is and some more details about the procedure itself. I was in a serious car accident, and I need both knees replaced just to be able to get back into my wheelchair,
I’m also looking for recommendations for a good clinic or a specialist...

It’s tough because I’m still pretty young (only 29), and I’ve been stuck in bed for three years now.

Best,

Seriously, how is it possible that nobody knows anything about this???

I have a question... My mom has been dealing with osteoarthritis for quite some time now, but she finally decided to get a proper checkup. At the local clinic in a small town near Portland, they told her she needs surgery, but there’s a catch: she has to lose weight before they'll even consider operating on her. Over the last two or three months, things have taken a turn for the worse with one of her knees. She can't even leave the house because the pain is just unbearable. I ended up taking her to see a specialist at the Mayo Clinic, where they did scans on that painful knee, and the doctor basically said it's a complete disaster. I'm not sure how to put it professionally, but apparently, the cartilage is completely gone, and now the bone is grinding where it shouldn't be. It sounds like she urgently needs a total joint replacement...
She would prefer to stick with the local clinic since it would be much more affordable, but from what I've gathered, the waiting list is about a year long. There is absolutely no way she can wait even a month. Does the local facility not accept emergency cases? And honestly, how on earth is she supposed to lose weight when she can barely move? If she stops eating just to drop the pounds, she's going to end up with a whole host of other health issues!
I'm wondering if there is a significant difference in the quality of care, recovery times, and everything else between a major center like the Mayo Clinic versus a smaller regional hospital? What would you all recommend?